All' Antico Vinaio — Restaurant in Los Angeles

About a month ago, I was eating out during a relatively quiet night at the corner of 6th and Catalina toward the Eastern side of koreatown. It was late, and there were only a couple groups that night, and one of them was talking with the owner of the restaurant. They were obsessed with an Italian sandwich shop, couldn't have enough to say about the history, the quality, and the fact that they were going to have a Koreatown branch. I was so curious I came up to them to ask more of the details. They were talking about All'Antico Vinaio, and at that time, it wasn't even going to be open for another month.

All'Antico Vinaio, roughly, 'to the old vineyard', is an Italian sandwich chain of worldwide renown, but here in the States, until recently, it was a New York staple. At the time of writing, there are only three branches on the West Coast - one in Vegas, one somewhat fittingly in Venice California, and one here in k-town. And what a blessing it is. They've settled on increasingly stylish tiny block just east of Western, north of the Chase Bank, a couple doors from fellow newcomer Liu's Cafe. Their store's edifice has been completed for about a month, but the restaurant itself has only been open since a few days ago as of this writing. And if you see it open, you would best take a look!

The interior is pretty small - there's room for about five people to eat in - but as of now the line moves pretty quickly. It helps that the sandwiches for the most part don't seem to involve a lot of roasting or other prep. Unlike other sandwich shops, there was a clear leader of sorts running the show behind the counter, calling out to the other staff and mixtures of Spanish, Italian, and English, and daftly answering any questions from us the customers.

But the star of the show is the food of course - prepared in a truly unique style which I've been told is called a pizza Bianca, essentially a square of pizza dough, between which the sandwiches ingredients are prepared. Now in this I was a little skeptical, as I have a dairy allergy which prevents me from eating cheese. But upon the sandwich maestro's suggestion, I got La Inferno, which I was assured had no dairy and a lot of flavor.

Every ingredient is tremendously fresh, and feels like it doesn't need to be flavored, cooked, or really touched in any way. You could gladly just eat strips of the roast, crunch leaves of the arugula, or down whole spoonfuls of La Inferno's feature, the spicy eggplant (something I've not personally tried in a sandwich before). But together with bread, they form a fabulous fresh symphony, the likes of which I have never tasted in a sandwich before.

My girlfriend is not a fan of sandwiches generally. She got the favolosa and reported that it was a damned good sandwich. That's All'Antico Vinaio - The kind of place which can convert you to a food you wouldn't normally eat, and reinvigorate a fascination that places like Subway are determined to stamp out. The lack of seating, morning-only hours, and inconvenient parking are some of the only downsides to an unmissible experience (I recommend looking for street parking on Wilshire and the streets connecting to 6th). And if you brave the labyrinthine Koreatown parking, you'll find that this branch is so new, there's hardly a wait at all - something I'm told cannot be said of the other branches. At least for now. All the more reason to quickly find your way to All'Antico Vinaio - it's not going to stay...

Not sure what the other reviews are about the employees having a bad attitude -- I had a very pleasant experience at All' Antico Vinaio. All the employees behind the counter were extremely courteous and kind. I inquired about the most popular sandwich and the man behind the deli counter told me in italy, the most popular sandwich was 'La Favolosa'. But in LA, the most popular sandwich was 'La Paradiso'. BUT, the gentleman recommended "The Big Smoke" which is a special sandwich with prosciutto, smoked gouda, truffle cream, and arugula. I didn't eat my sandwich until a few hours later after sitting in LA traffic for a while and the sandwich was still delightful. It was a bit heavy and I added some balsamic vinegar at home that really tied all the flavors together. Otherwise, all the ingredients are of very high quality.

While I was at the store I also witnessed the staff handle a phone complaint about a messed up order a few days ago. Instead of being very negative about the caller, all the staff members were very polite and patient with handling the complaint. Everyone was all smiles and treated the customer with kindness. That is the type of business I am willing to give...

This place is a gem! While the seating area is limited to about six people, it makes sense given that it’s a sandwich shop and not a banquet hall. I discovered this restaurant on social media and saw lots of people saying, “$20 for a sandwich?” Well, let me tell you, it was worth it. The portions are enormous, easily enough for two people—think of it as a double-decker delight! The bread is amazing and pairs perfectly with just the right amount of cured dry meat inside the sandwich.

Service was fantastic—quick and easy. I loved the upbeat energy of the guy working there and the lady assembling the sandwiches. They’re like the dynamic duo of deli delights! Given how expensive everything is nowadays, I do think the $20 is justified for the portion and quality you get.

Will I eat here again? Not as everyday meal, unless I develop a black hole for a stomach (jk), but this place is absolutely perfect for when I’m craving an Italian sandwich. YES, I would come back again and try other sandwiches.

I ordered: LA SCHIACCIATA DEL BOSS. The truffle cream was absolutely amazing! It’s like a party in your mouth and everyone’s invited.

Hope everyone will enjoy...